Find out how popular the last name Heap is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Heap.

Heap, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Heap surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heap in America

Heap is the 15402nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heap surname appeared 1,903 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Heap.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heap to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Heap

The surname Heap is of English origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "heap," which referred to a pile or mound. This could suggest that the name may have initially been a topographic name given to someone who lived near a prominent hill or mound.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places named "Heap" or variations of the word, indicating the surname's early presence in the country. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname itself is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1170, where a person named Willelmus de la Hepe is mentioned.

The surname Heap has also been associated with certain place names, such as Heapey in Lancashire, which was recorded as "Hepey" in the 13th century. This village may have been named after an early bearer of the surname or vice versa.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Heap include William Heap (1675-1744), an English goldsmith and banker who served as the Master of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths in London. Another prominent figure was Sir Andrew Heap (1839-1918), a British industrialist and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the cotton industry in Lancashire.

In the realm of literature, the surname Heap is associated with the English poet and novelist Jane Heap (1766-1842), whose works included the novel "St. Katharine's Monastery" and several volumes of poetry. Additionally, Gwynne Heap (1884-1964) was a Welsh actor and playwright known for his contributions to the theater in the early 20th century.

Moving across the Atlantic, one notable bearer of the surname was David Heap (1737-1824), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Ohio. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the state's Western Reserve region.

Throughout history, the surname Heap has been present in various parts of England and beyond, with its origins rooted in the Old English language and potentially linked to geographic features or place names. It has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including craftsmen, industrialists, artists, and pioneers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heap

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Heap.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Heap was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Heap has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Heap was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Heap, please contact us.

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